WINTEHN PARK CONFIRMED AS DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF COUNCIL SERVICES

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI - Honolulu attorney and longtime legislative veteran Wintehn Park has been confirmed as the new director of the Office of Council Services (OCS) with a unanimous vote from the Honolulu City Council at its Full Council Meeting on Dec. 6, and resounding support from community members during testimony. OCS consults with the Council to research and draft City legislation and provides legal representation for the Council.

“We are so pleased that someone with Mr. Park’s extensive background in the legislative process has joined us,” said Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters. “He has served the people of Hawai‘i through his expertise at the Senate level, which in combination with his private-sector legal and professional background, make him a terrific choice to fulfill the Office’s mission to support the Council and its committees in developing policies and laws that improve the lives of our residents.”

Park is a Kamehameha Schools graduate who received his bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College, and his law degree from William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He began his legal career at the law firm of Kobayashi, Sugita and Goda, and later was a partner at the law firm Kondo, Murakami and Park. Park began his career in government work at the State Office of Information Practices as a staff attorney responsible for cases regarding the Uniform Information Practices Act and the State Sunshine Law. After a period consulting residential developers, Park returned to government work as an attorney at the Hawai‘i State Senate’s Majority Research Office where his responsibilities were to provide legal and drafting services to various Senate committees. In 2008 Park was named Special Counsel for the Senate, working on special projects and general legal services for the Senate President, Senate Majority Attorney and Chief Clerk. 

Park was named Legal Counsel for U.S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa in 2010, and in 2014 returned to the Senate as Majority Attorney. In 2019, Park became Interim Director of the Senate Majority Research Office where he was responsible for the Senate’s primary research and drafting agency. In 2023, the Office processed over 1,600 bills and 3,017 requests for services.  

“As a lifelong resident, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my government service and to serve the people of Honolulu in this new capacity as Director of OCS,” said Park. “I look forward to working with the City Council to support the implementation of policies that effectively address community concerns, and enhance services throughout all of our communities on O‘ahu.”  

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